This invention relates to tools and machines used in woodworking, and in particular to a lathe assembly that is adaptable for use with a circular saw and/or a router.
In the field of woodworking, various machines have been generally required to perform separate functions needed for the fabrication of articles such as furniture components. For example, in order to fabricate a table leg having a circular cross section with longitudinal flutes recessed into the outer surface of the table leg, several machines are typically required. Woodstock having a square cross section is first cut to a desired length such as with a table saw. Thereafter, the workpiece which has been cut to a desired length is placed on a lathe and rotated around its longitudinal axis while being engaged by a cutting or abrading tool which shapes the workpiece so that it has a desired circular cross section. Thereafter, the flutes are recessed into the workpiece by removing it from the lathe, remounting it on a fixture, and utilizing a router with a rotating abrasive burr. Thus, a woodworker will typically utilize three different machines which are each dedicated to performing a single function in order to fabricate a single component such as a fluted, circular table leg.
There are many woodworkers, particularly those that engage in woodworking as a hobby, that desire machines capable of performing cutting, lathing, and routing, but are discouraged from obtaining a dedicated table saw, lathe and router apparatus, because of the cost and/or the space needed for such equipment. Accordingly, apparatuses for converting a woodworking machine dedicated to performing a single function into a machine capable of performing two or more functions would be highly desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,802 to Peterson discloses a dado lathe for use with a table saw. The dado lathe device includes a pair of parallel, spaced apart guide rails upon which a frame is slidably mounted. The frame includes vertically and longitudinally adjustable headstock and tailstock spindles for rotatably supporting the woodstock. A drive system selectively rotates the woodstock while moving the frame longitudinally along the guide rails. The dado lathe device is releasably secured to the table saw such as with C-clamps. Thus, a disadvantage with this device is that securement of the device to a table saw is cumbersome and may lack adequate rigidity and stability during the lathing operation. Because the disclosed dado lathe device is designed to hold a workpiece in a parellelpiped shaped framework, mounting and demounting of the workpiece can be ackward and cumbersome. Also, the cage-like frame is not easily adaptable for use with a conventional handheld lathing tool. Further, the disclosed dado lathe device is not easily adaptable for use with other woodworking tools, such as a router.
In one aspect, the invention provides a woodworking apparatus including a structure for supporting a circular saw blade, a carriage mounted on the structure for linear movement relative to the blade, a support pivotally connected to the carriage to facilitate pivoting of the support with respect to the carriage, and a lathe mounted on the support. The apparatus allows pivoting of the lathe between a first orientation in which a workpiece supported on the lathe is remote from the blade to facilitate operations on the workpiece with a tool implement other than the blade and a second orientation in which a workpiece supported on the lathe is in proximity to the blade to facilitate operations on the workpiece with the blade. The carriage, support and lathe may be permanently mounted on the structure to provide a dedicated lathe which allows lathing operations to be performed with a circular saw blade or with a handheld tool as desired. Alternatively, the carriage, support and lathe may be sold as a kit that facilitates reversible conversion of a conventional table saw into a lathing apparatus.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a woodworking apparatus including a structure supporting a circular saw blade, a carriage mounted on the structure for linear movement relative to the blade, a support mounted on the carriage in a manner to allow linear movement of the support relative to the carriage in a direction that is orthogonal to a line parallel with the direction of allowed movement of the carriage relative to the frame, a lathe mounted on the support, a pattern releasably mounted on the support, and a follower mounted on the structure and configured to engage a cam surface on the pattern. The apparatus effects linear movement of the support and lathe relative to the carriage and saw blade as the carriage is moved with respect to the structure, the magnitude and direction of the movement of the carriage and the lathe with respect to the structure being determined by the cam surface of the pattern.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a woodworking apparatus including a base, a lathe mounted on the base, and a router platen supported above the lathe. The router platen includes an upper surface for supporting a router and an elongate slot through which a router tool may project to a workpiece supportable on the lathe. The apparatus facilitates routing of a workpiece mounted on the lathe.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.